In a significant ruling, a New York federal judge decided on Tuesday that the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is not required to disclose to a law firm the sanction-related information concerning charities that the U.S. government had associated with Hamas. The judge justified the decision, stating the OFAC had adequately…
In a recent shift of events, the U.S. government has raised concerns over nonprofits’ $23 million attorney fee request. It has asked a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to “carefully examine” the request that sprouted from a long-standing litigation over PACER charges. Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) is the online service providing access…
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) introduced transition relief with regards to changes to catch-up contributions of retirement savings for highly paid participants as per the SECURE Act 2.0. With the new laws in place, revisions have been made to the traditional implementation of these additional contributions intended to aid individuals aged 50 and above…
Recently, three appellate courts reversed sentences in cases where the government failed to present adequate evidence supporting their alleged loss calculation. This adjustment in the sentencing guidelines range occured because of the lack of factual credibility in the government’s loss assessment. The details of this event can be found by following the original article. In…
The role and credibility of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in intelligence agencies has recently been voicing skepticism. This has been in response to a number of inaccuracies displayed ranging from ChatGPT’s+ flawed responses to factual questions, to facial recognition algorithms’ consistent inability to correctly identify black individuals, to other bizarre flaws, including Stable Diffusion’s generation of…
In the devastating wake of Hurricane Idalia, critical steps must be taken to navigate the complex landscape of disaster recovery for affected individuals, families, and businesses across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Based on the information released after the storm, this article will highlight key elements required for federal assistance eligibility for those residing, owning…
“Force majeure” is a contractual provision that explains events agreed upon by the parties as unforeseen, unavoidable, and beyond the control of either. These events triggering force majeure are encompassing and may include natural cataclysms, political unrest, labor disturbances, or acts of God – essentially any event that allows a party to fail in their…
On the 8th of September, 2023, Dr. Rogelio Ramírez de la O, the Secretary of Finance and Public Credit in Mexico, presented to the Chamber of Deputies the Economic Package for 2024 (PE 2024). Notably, the proposed package does not propose new taxes, nor tax increases. More details can be found in the official economic…
In a recent decision that has garnered much legal interest, New York Supreme Court Justice Thomas Marcelle ruled the New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (NYSCOELIG) as unconstitutional. Marcelle’s decision was in response to the case, Cuomo v. NYSCOELIG, and centered around the grounds that the commission’s statutorily mandated independence breached…
The Dominican Republic suspended the issuance of visas to citizens of Haiti as of Monday, and is considering closing its border following a conflict over water access. The dispute centers on Haiti’s construction of a canal, leading to concerns about diverting water from the Dajabón River. Recognized for its paramount importance within the Dominican Republic’s…
The City of Atlanta recently opted not to confirm a multitude of signatures gathered by protestors against the construction of a police and fire training center, known colloquially as “Cop City”. This decision unfolded after the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals issued a judicial stay earlier this month. Activists, combined under the banner of the…
Effective June 2, 2023, a significant regulation update comes into effect which will alter federal contracts and solicitation requirements. All such contracts are required to include the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause: FAR 52.204-27, titled “Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application”. This clause is a concrete implementation of Section 102 of Division R of the…
In a recent decision that continues to shape the landscape of property rights in the United States, the Sixth Circuit has applied the findings of a Supreme Court case, Tyler v. Hennepin County, to affirm the right of a property owner to net tax lien foreclosure proceeds. This is another key development for property owners…
The week commencing September 11, 2023, poses to be an intense period for the healthcare sector as the US House of Representatives returns from the August recess. Both bodies of Congress have resumed work, with an extensive list of tasks vying for completion before the September 30, 2023, deadline. Among the pressing issues on the…
In a resolution to what had become a nearly two-decade-long legal battle, the state of Iowa has reached a settlement in its suit against signatory tobacco manufacturers under the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). A piece published by eager law experts on JD Supra outlined the legal developments in this case that originated from the state’s…
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has resolved its first corporate sanctions case concerning alleged violations of the Iran sanctions program. This action undoubtedly solidifies the message issued by the Justice Department regarding the stringent response to corporate sanctions violations. As part of the settlement, corporations guilty of violating sanctions are required to pay a fine…
The alarming climate crisis is ever again under the spotlight. This time, potentially catastrophic repercussions thrust the topic into the limelight. It was signaled this morning in Barrett Pond Park Dam in Leominster, Massachusetts. Inhabitants and workers in the area have been direly warned to evacuate at once. This unusual and extreme measure was taken…
Approximately five weeks have passed since the Alberta government directed the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC or Commission) to refrain from issuing new approvals for renewable electricity projects until at least February 29, 2024. This development, which is likely to have far-reaching impacts on the region’s renewable energy sector, was previously explored in depth in another…
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York recently addressed a complaint lodged by an array of environmental organizations against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These organizations challenged the decision of the service to not list the Eastern Hellbender as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). According to…
As the election season approaches, both Democrats and Republicans are investing millions of dollars in Biglaw and boutique law firms for services that vary from standard campaign finance regulatory and compliance advice to all manner of litigation related to voting rights and election laws. However, there is great interest to identify which law firms have…
In a move aimed at grappling with the issues of affordable housing, the Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County, Virginia, is expected to hold a public hearing. This meeting will fall on September 26, 2023, and its central topic will be the adoption of Affordable Housing Preservation Administrative Guidelines. As reported by JD Supra, this…
On September 8, 2023, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) released a second round of audits for the year. In this round, the OFCCP listed 1,000 establishments specifically for supply and service federal contractors. These entities are the next to receive advance audit notices, otherwise known as Corporate Scheduling Announcement Letters (CSALs). The…
As we stand on the precipice of a new fiscal year, set to begin on October 1, 2023, Congressional leaders continue to wrestle with funding the federal government via the appropriations process. This is one of the central pillars of managing “discretionary spending”, a crucial part of the federal budget allocation. The term “discretionary spending”,…
California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom, has made a significant move towards preparing the state for the use and regulation of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). On September 6, he signed an Executive Order aimed at fostering innovation in this rapidly evolving sector while ensuring protection against any potential hazards this technology may bring. This Executive Order, notably,…
On Sept. 8, 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) publicized its most recent Corporate Scheduling Announcement List (CSAL) for supply and service contractors. The announcement marked pivotal changes for larger corporations and law firms as it designated 1,000 contractor and subcontractor locations for potential audit, as reported by…